oK, so I’m past ranting about store bought router tables, and am in the throws of building my own. I’m starting to grind away at making my own router lift but before I frustrate myself completely, are router lifts really a good thing?
I can imagine all sorts of benefits, but then I often imagine benefits before I step up to reality.
Thoughts?
Dave
Replies
Can't recall which mag or issue but within the last year one of the hobby mags had a really good set of plans for a home made router lift using steel rods and bronze bushings found in most hardware stores. It wasn't shop notes. You should look at the lift at http://www.woodhaven.com
Edited 7/6/2005 5:45 pm ET by rick3ddd
A lift is a good thing if it works well and most of them do. Pricey, but anything to improve the up/down mechanism of routers would be a good thing. An alternative at the Depth of Cut link.
Dave,
Maybe you should stop and rethink.. I have seldom seen a router lift table that is what I call great that didn't cost more than a basic, simple Shaper costs..
If it's space or some other reason there are bench top shapers out there and they aren't terribly expensive either. Some of the lighter smaller shapers even have the ability to take either your router bits or shaper cutters..
If it's just the challenge of making something that works acceptably then I can understand why you'd want to do it. Personally I'd rather devote my time to actual wood working rather than working with wood to build something to work with wood..
If on the other hand you just want to putter and attempt to recreate the wheel have fun.. (I honestly hope that doesn't come off wrong because I do understand the fun in doing weird things for the heck of it)
I have more than a few router tables.. I have used them with no lifts for a very long time and was happy the way it was...
Well, I finally got a lift for one router table... The one on my TS... All I can say it has 'it's place' and is nice to use.. In fact I kind of like it ALOT!
However, I am not planning to use a lift in my other tables... If they were about $33.00 a piece maybe....
Edited 7/7/2005 1:24 pm ET by Will George
In my shop a lift is necessary. A good lift and router will cost around $600. Add in a fence and that is pretty close to a shaper. However shapers can not do EVERYTHING that a router can. I would never use a 1/4" round over in a shaper! If you intend to have a shaper in the near future get a light duty lift meant for the 2 horse routers. If a shaper seams unlikely then get a big router and good lift. There is no way you can reasonably build a lift that compairs to a comercialy availible model. If you have the machinery to do it you still would waste more time than it would be worth.
Mike
Dave--in my opinion router lifts are a very exp. unneaded accessory.
A few routers dont need one---& none of the other routers must have one, to easily change a bit or raise/lower the cuts.
This is just an offer--- if you wish to send an--E MAIL--I will send you a picture of a very simple method that never requires a lift--using any router.
Very easy to add to the table you are making.
[email protected]
woody/LUTHER
I belive the router lift was in the March-2004 issue of American Woodworker. If you have a Johnstone Supply (HVAC) in your area. you can get a piece of 3/4" polished shaft stock, that is 35" long and cut it in half. The bronze bushings are standard 3/4ID X1"OD flanged oilite bearings. Any good bearing dist. should stock them. In building the lift, you may want to reverse it so the lift rails are on the front of the table. This way you won't have to reach across the fence to adjust the height. One of the real beauties of this lift is that you can change the mounting block for different router motors. This is my fall/ winter project for my shop.
Hi Dave,
See http://www.woodshopdemos.com for a description of the Router Raizer lift used with a Hitachi M12V and the CMT Industrio router table. I bought all of these items, followed the set described at that site and am very happy with the whole thing. The table is a bit pricey but well-made.
In the setup described, the neatest thing is the use of the single "bent wrench" for tool changing. The router shaft is lock using its mechanism, operated from the side of the table by a threaded rod. The whole thing works well.
As for the need for a lift -- the whole idea is to make the setup accessible from above - especially handy if you incorporate dust collection into the area below the router.
I think other lifts are good and may be better in some ways. However in spending several hundred dollars for all the pieces above, it's nice to know it will all work together and have a detailed assembly plan from the site.
I'm afraid I too have to agree. However, I think the primary driver for me trying the router lift route is (blush) just to see if I can make one as good as the $400 ones? It's true, I'm a tool junkie, but only when the tool actually does something I want.
So with that in mind, I bought a router for an off-the-shelf table from Bosch (don't get me started again on that router table). The router was on sale but included three bases with it. I already had a nice plunge router so the plunge base was perfect (in my eyes?) to make a lift with. I've stripped off the junk, tuned the rods, added a wing for the lifting mechanism and installed a threaded lift rod. Damn thing actually works pretty good! I've built the table top and yes, the lift mechanism is available on the front top of the table for ease of use.
As to not being worth the effort? I've been doing some cabinet doors (raised panel) and adjusting bits to make joints smooth is rather time consuming going under the table, raising, trying, lowering, etc. I'm hoping this at least makes it easier? (I'm hoping more I don't get any more commissions for raised panel actually LOL)
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